30. Sina
Strong arms slid beneath me, and the world tilted.
A soft sound slipped out before I could stop it as Nik lifted me, cradling me against his bare chest like I weighed nothing at all.
I wrapped my arms around his neck without thinking, my fingers curling into the soft strands at the nape of his neck.
My body hummed with pleasure so intense I shivered, little tremors I couldn’t seem to control.
What the hell just happened? How did I go from finding out vampires were real to being laid out on a kitchen counter between two of them?
None of this felt as terrifying as it should have.
A small, breathless laugh of hysteria bubbled up in my chest before I could stop it, the sound thin and shaky in the quiet hallway.
Nik glanced down at me, this close I could see just how dark his blue eyes really were—deep and stormy without the barrier of glass.
His brows pulled together slightly, concern flickering across his sharp features.
The look did something strange to my chest. Something soft and aching and dangerous.
“You okay, love?” His voice rumbled against my cheek.
I nodded first, because my brain felt slow and floaty, like I was wading through warm water. Then I forced words past the haze. “I’m okay.”
The tension in his shoulders eased just a fraction.
“If you need space, I’ll tell Harlow. He’ll understand.”
The fact that he even offered made my throat tighten.
Did I want them to leave me alone?
I shook my head.
His thumb dragged slowly along my side as he reached the top of the stairs, the touch absentminded but grounding, like he needed the contact as much as I did.
He carried me down the hallway with quiet confidence, his footsteps nearly silent despite his size. He didn’t hesitate when he reached the last door, just pushed it open with his shoulder and carried me inside .
The room was dim, lit only by a soft bedside lamp that cast everything in warm gold, deep red walls, dark wood furniture, pristine charcoal sheets, and a soft cream throw draped over the foot of the bed.
I was in Nik’s room.
A thrill went through me. It felt forbidden to be here.
He set me gently on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under my weight.
His hands lingered at my waist for half a second longer than necessary before he stepped back.
I looked up at him through my lashes. Those stormy blue eyes of his were unreadable, his expression carefully blank.
It made me a little uncomfortable not being able to read him at all.
Harlow lingered in the doorway, his eyes already on me.
They traced a slow, heated path down my curves, like he was reacquainting himself with every inch of me.
I swallowed and let my gaze roam over him—really seeing him now.
Without the gloves, his painted black nails were visible, a dark rose tattoo curling across the back of one hand.
My eyes drifted higher, over the ink crawling up his neck and the hard lines of muscle across his chest. A tight warmth coiled low in my belly at how completely unapologetic he was about the way he looked at me.
He looked starved. A soft, unsteady exhale slipped past my lips before I could stop it, my pulse fluttering hard enough that I felt it in my throat.
I felt like prey.
My fingers drifted to my bottom lip as memory flashed, Harlow’s kiss and the sharp press of his teeth. But there wasn't a mark. I frowned.
I swear he bit me, did he not?
“Our saliva has healing properties,” Nik said, answering my unasked question.
I looked over at him. He was leaning back against his dresser now, arms loose at his sides, lamplight catching the sharp line of his jaw while the rest of him stayed half in shadow.
The curtains shifted faintly near the window beside him, letting in a thin strip of moonlight that cut across the floor between us.
I hadn’t heard him move. I blinked at him, then at Harlow.
The brothers shared a look, one that definitely needed subtitles.
Something silent and loaded passed between them, and my nerves sparked to life all over again.
I became painfully aware that I was the only one fully naked.
Suddenly self conscious, I reached for the cream throw at the foot of the bed and dragged it up around myself, covering my chest and lap in one quick motion.
I pushed the strange flutter in my stomach aside and glanced between them. I desperately wanted to know what they were thinking.
“What? Are you able to telepathically communicate or something?”
Harlow barked a low laugh, shaking his head. “No, darling. We just know each other well.”
“Years of experience,” Nik added.
I gave a small, awkward laugh, already embarrassed for asking. It only got worse when neither of them joined in.
Nik’s gaze slid away toward the window like he could not quite look at me. Harlow lingered near the doorway, not fully stepping into the room, like he was hesitating to cross into Nik’s space. A slow tension crept up my spine. I pulled the throw tighter around myself, pointing between them.
“What is this?”
They glanced at each other. Again . The fuck? Did they not want me here now? Did they change their minds?
“You guys are both acting weird.” I drew my knees up to my chest, and wrapped the blanket tighter. “It’s freaking me out. It’s weirder than finding out you drink blood.”
Nik’s jaw flexed. “We just don’t want you regretting this tomorrow.”
I straightened. Oh . So they still wanted me. They were just worried I was being reckless. I dragged a frustrated hand down my face .
“Stop acting like you have to handle me with kid gloves.” I cringed at my choice of words, my gaze flicking to Harlow.
Nik let out a low, frustrated sound.
Yeah , you and me both, buddy. Mood killer.
“You liked it better when I was trying to scare you off?” he demanded.
“I liked you better when you weren’t treating me like I might run away screaming at any moment.”
Harlow snorted. “ Damn , brother. I ought to punch you for trying to scare off my girl.”
Nik and I ignored him, glaring at each other. I wasn't about to analyze how Harlow called me his and how it made me feel.
First Kiron, then Nik, now him? It had to be a vampire thing.
“You would rather I be an ass than worry if you are okay?”
“I’m fine.” I snapped, huffing in frustration. “Now stop it with this mother hen stuff. It’s pissing me off. I’m not running, Nik. How many times do I have to tell you before you believe me?”
“That makes no sense. You were debating about stabbing me,” he growled.
“It makes perfect sense, and no I wasn’t. I just wanted you to fuck me and taunting you seemed like a way to get what I wanted,” I shot back, ignoring how sexy he sounded and the blush that coated my cheeks.
“Knife play. Nice,” Harlow added.
I shoved tangled strands of hair from my face. “Honestly, Nik, how old are you? And you still don’t understand women?”
I tilted my head, studying him. Late thirties, maybe . But did vampires age?
Nik just glared harder. I smiled sweetly. I was poking the beast again, secretly hoping he would snap like before .
Harlow chuckled low, a hand on his chin as he watched us argue. “Oh, this should be good. Please, educate the vampire, darling. How should we treat you?”
“What you did downstairs was pretty great. Maybe start there,” I quipped.
“ Oh ?” Harlow said, pushing off the doorframe and finally entering the room. “You hear that, brother? She wants to be spread out between us.”
Nik shot him a seething look before returning his golden eyes to me. I shivered under his scrutiny.
“He’s right, so maybe just act normal ?” I said, feeling bolder.
Harlow arched a brow. “ Normal , Sina? Because finding out vampires exist is totally normal to you?”
He winked to soften the blow.
I gave a small, crooked smile. “I’m adapting.”
I lifted one shoulder in a shrug, then slid my eyes to Nik. He held my gaze for a long moment, something shifting behind his eyes. The gold fading.
Harlow stepped closer, and the air thickened all over again.
My pulse stumbled as he stopped in front of me, close enough that heat radiated off him.
His index finger hooked gently under my chin, lifting my face until I broke my stare with Nik.
When I met Harlow’s gaze, the fire was back, bright, hungry, and a little unhinged. Just how I liked him.
“Get on the bed, Sina. On your hands and knees for me.”
A shiver rolled through me, deep and involuntary, settling low in my belly. When I didn’t move fast enough, he exhaled sharply. “I could compel you. Make you be my good little vixen .”
My breath hitched, teeth sinking into my lower lip as a sharp wave of heat shot through me.
He hadn’t compelled me—not yet—but I leaned toward him anyway, like my body was already tuned to the pull of his voice.
My thoughts were still mine, but everything felt thicker, slower, drenched in warmth and want.
Why did I want that?
Yup, I officially had a compel kink, fuck .
“Harlow.” The warning in Nik’s voice made me shiver.
Harlow went still. His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking near his temple as he pulled in a slow breath through his nose.
His eyes dropped from mine. I didn’t like that, didn’t like he was curling in on himself.
I got up on my knees on the bed, letting the blanket pool around them, putting us closer to eye level.
I closed the space between us and took his face in my hands.
“I won’t lie,” I said softly. “I shouldn’t like the idea of any man having control over me. But for some reason, with you… it turns me on.”